Apparatus for the automatic recording of hypostasis reactions

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for the automatic recording of hypostasis reactions.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Walter Fotsch Regeusdort;

Stanislaus Monn, Watt, both of Switzerland [21] Appl. No. 845,234

[22] Filed July 28, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 197 l [73] Assignee Guest Medical and Dental Products AG Zug, Switzerland [32] Priority July 26, 1968 [3 3] Switzerland [54] APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC RECORDING V [50] Field of Search 51 Int. Cl ..G0ln 33/16 346/33 A, 33 ME,107 R; 356/39. 40, 41.42

Primary Examiner-Joseph W. Hartary Attorney-Michael S. Striker 0F HYPOSTASIS REACTIONS bums 5 Draw Figs ABSTRACT: Apparatus for the automatic recording of hypos- [52] US. Cl 346/107, tasis eac[ion5 PATENTED M28 :91:

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APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC RECORDING F HYPOSTASIS REACTIONS This invention relates to an apparatus for the automatic recording of hypostasis reactions on photosensitive paper. A light source, a first diaphragm, a sedimentation tube, a second diaphragm and an elongated guide on which a strip of photosensitive paper is placed are arranged in one direction closely adjacent to each other in a housing and the elongated guide with the photosensitive paper strip thereon is moved about a pivot axis extending parallel to the aforementioned direction slowly from a starting to an end position and quickly returned to the starting position, while the light source is switched on and off at timed intervals during movement of the guide from the starting to the end position.

Various instruments are known for determining hypostasis by Westergren's method. In principle, the sedimentation of the corpuscles is measured after 1 hour and after 2 hours. For this purpose, the blood undergoing examination is mixed with a sodium-citrium solution and introduced into a standard 300 mm. long pipette. The latter has a calibrated scale of a length of 200 mm. As the red corpuscles sink, a particle free transparent column of liquid forms, and its height is an indication of the patients state of health. According to Westergren, the rate of sedimentation is the difference in the length of the particle free column of liquid after 1 hour and after 2 hours.

Various instruments are known for automatically recording hypostasis. A photographic tracing process has been disclosed, wherein the particle free column of liquid is recorded by exposure successively on the same photosensitive paper at the beginning of the test, after 1 hour, and after 2 hours. The hypostasis is read from the resulting different color intensities. Since, however, with certain diseases or intensive hypostasis the dividing line between plasma and erythrocytes is in any case not very sharp, readability is rendered very difficult if the exposures are made one on top of the other.

In another process, the height of the transparent column of liquid is recorded at different times by means of exposure systems each allocated to a. given time. Thus there are always at least two exposure systems used. This means a considerable outlay in respect of apparatus. Moreover, the photographically recorded columns of liquid are relatively far apart, and this makes rapid and reliable reading impossible and also results in a considerable consumption of photosensitive paper.

The present invention obviates these disadvantages by disposing successively in one direction a light source, a first diaphragm, a sedimentation tube, a second diaphragm, and a guide to receive a photosensitive paper, means being provided to displace the guide and/or the second diaphragm transversely of the said direction between two end positions, switching means being provided for switching the light source on and off at intervals.

The invention will be explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exemplified embodiment at the beginning of a measurement, parts being shown in fragmentary form.

FIG. 2 is a similar view to FIG. 1 after the measurement has been taken.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second exemplified embodiment at the beginning of a measurement, parts being shown in fragmentary form.

FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 3 after the measurement has been taken and FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the first and second exemplified embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the first exemplified embodiment, a housing G contains successively in one direction a lamp 1, a first diaphragm 2, a sedimentation tube 3 and a second diaphragm 4. A shaft 9 is secured to the housing G and a suspension 8 is mounted to pivot about said shaft. A paper guide 6 is secured to said suspension 8 and a reel 7 of photosensitive paper is rotatably mounted on the suspension 8 tive paper is preferably directly blackening photographic paper operating on the latensification principle. The photosensitive paper 5 is situated in the said direction between the second diaphragm 4 and the guide 6. An unnumbered translucent graduated plate is provided in the second diaphragm 4. The graduated plate and the diaphragm preferably consist of a perforated metal plate. A slider 16 and one end of a coil spring 17 are also secured to the guide 6. The other end of the coil spring 17 is secured to the housing G, so that the guide 6 with the slider 16 bears against a cam disc 14 by the action of the spring 17. The cam disc 14 is axially connected to a graduated drum l3 and afeed wheel 12, so as to rotate therewith. The cam disc 14, the graduated drum 13, and the feed wheel 12 are connected via a slipping clutch II to a motor 10 having a reduction gear. When the motor 10 rotates the cam disc 14, the slider 16 follows its outer control surface, so that the guide 6 pivots to and fro in the direction of the arrow illustrated. In FIG. 1 the guide itself is in its righthand end position, i.e., the slider 16 touches the cam disc 14 at the smallest radius thereof. If the axis of rotation of the cam disc 14 rotates through 360, the guide 6 is gradually pivoted into the left-hand end position in which the slider 16 bears against the larger radius of the cam disc 14. The cam disc 14 is so constructed that the return to the right-hand end position takes place abruptly. The reduction between the motor 10 and the slipping clutch 11 is so selected that one revolution of the cam disc 14 through 360 takes 2 hours in accordance with Westergrens macromethod. A lug 20 is secured to the graduated drum l3 and actuates a switch 21 disposed in the circuit of the motor 10. In the starting position of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus is started by rotating the feed wheel 12 manually a small distance in the direction of the arrow indicated. In these conditions, the lug 20 actuates the switch 21 and the stop 19 actuates the switch 18 so that the motor 10 is started, while at the same time a first exposure records the beginning of the sedimentation of the blood on the photosensitive paper 5, as shown by reference L in FIG. 2. After 1 hour, or after one revolution of the graduated drum 13 through 180, the second stop 19 actuates the switch 18 and a second exposure is made, as shown at L in FIG. 2. At the same time, as a result of the increasing radius of the cam disc 14, the guide 6 has moved to the left, so that the second recording is situated next to the first recording. After another hour, i.e. half a revolution of the graduated drum, a third exposure L is made, whereupon the lug 20 again actuates the switch 21 and switches off the motor 10.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second exemplified embodiment in which like or equivalent parts have like or equivalent reference numerals, so that there is no need to repeat the description. Unlike the first exemplified embodiment, the suspension 8 containing the reel 7 of photosensitive paper is not situated below the optical part of the apparatus comprising the lamp 1 and the diaphragms 2 and 4, but is on the side of the guide 6 remote from the optical part. A graduation S is also secured to the housing G, and the level of liquid F is adjusted to this level at the beginning of the measurement. The level of liquid F is adjusted by vertical displacement of the sedimentation tube 3 in the mounting 24. Adjustment of the level of liquid F at the start of the measurement with respect to the graduation S eliminates the first exposure required in the first exemplified embodiment. A time scale 13' is disposed on the feed wheel 12 so that the graduated drum 13 in the first exemplified embodiment is dispensed with. A motor control drum 22 and an exposure control drum 23 are axially connected to the feed wheel 12' so as to rotate therewith. A lag 20 is secured to the motor control drum and actuates the switch 21' in the supply circuit for the motor 10. Two lugs 19 are offset by 180 on the exposure control drum 23 (each corresponding to a time of 1 hour), and actuate the switch 18' in the supply circuit for the lamp 1. The slider 16 is in the form of a cylindrical rod mounted for longitudinal axial displacement in a bearing 15, the end faces of the rod bearing respecand its leading end 5 is fitted into the guide 6. The photosensitively against the guide 6 and the cam disc 14. The cam disc 14' is formed by an eccentrically rotating circular disc connected for rotation to the exposure control drum 23, the axis of rotation of which forms the eccentric axis of the cam disc 14.

The second exemplified embodiment operates as follows: The blood mixture under examination is placed in the sedimentation tube 3 and its level is adjusted to the graduation or pointer S. The feed wheel 12 is then rotated in the direction of the arrow. At the same time, the drums 22 and 23 rotate so that the lug 20' actuates the switch 21', so that the motor is started. At this time the guide 6 is in its left-hand end position because the slider 16' bears against the maximum diameter of the cam disc 14'. During 1 hour the feed wheel 12', drums 22 and 23, and cam disc 19 rotate through 180'. After this rotation, the top lug 19' actuates the switch 18' in the power supply circuit to the lamp 1, so that an exposure is made. After another hour, i.e. after a 180 revolution, the second lug 19' actuates the switch 18, so that a second exposure is made. The lug 20' then actuates the switch 21, so that the motor 10 is stopped. As a result, two recordings are made on the photosensitive paper 5 (see FIG. 4), and the sedimentation m, after 1 hour and the sedimentation m after 2 hours can be read directly from the photosensitive paper strip 5. To determine the sedimentation or read off the recording, the strip 5 is pulled off the reel 7 and torn off and removed from the apparatus.

According to another exemplified embodiment (not shown), a plurality of stops 19 are provided on the graduated drum 13. As a result, a number of recordings made at different times can be joined together. A surface can be plotted, whose enveloping curve represents the hypostasis per unit of time.

According to another exemplified embodiment (not.

shown), the guide 6 is fixed to the housing while the diaphragm 4 is moved transversely of the direction of projection.

If the apparatus is required for another recording, the recording of hypostasis in a specific case can be prematurely discontinued. For this purpose the feed wheel is turned manually until the cam disc 14 and the graduated drum 13 assume the position shown in FIG. 1.

it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that those parts which are fixed to the housing can be inclined so that accelerated sedimentation can be obtained in an inclined sedimentation tube. Accordingly, a plurality of stops 19 would be provided on the graduated drum l3 and produce an exposure after shorter intervals of time.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for the automatic recording of hypostasis reactions on photosensitive paper comprising a housing member; a light source, a first diaphragm, a sedimentation tube, a second diaphragm and an elongated guide member adapted to receive a photosensitive paper arranged in one direction directly adjacent each other in said housing member; means mounting said elongated guide member at one end thereof for pivotal movement about pivot means parallel to said one direction; means for moving said guide member and a photosensitive paper thereon in a direction transverse to said one direction slowly from a starting position to an end position and from said end position rapidly back to said starting position, said moving means comprising cam means and follower means, one of said last-mentioned two means being fixedly mounted on one of said members, motor means connected to said cam means for moving the same relative to said follower means, and spring means for holding said cam means in engagement with said follower means; and switch means actuated by said moving means to switch said light source on and off at timed intervals during movement of said guide member from said starting to said end position.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam means has an axis of rotation and a peripheral cam surface engaged by said follower means, and wherein the radial distance of said cam surface from said axis of rotation increases gradually from a first point on said peripheral surface to a second point thereon and drops abruptly from said second point to said first point so that said guide member is moved gradually from said starting position to said end position and quickly from said end position back to said starting position.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam means comprise a first cam cooperating with said follower means and a second cam cooperating with said switch means.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivot means is spaced from said follower means.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, and including a supply reel for an elongated strip of photosensitive paper turnable about an axis substantially normal vto said one direction and being mounted adjacent said one end of said guide member for pivotal movement with the latter.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said sedimentation tube is mounted in said housing member displaceable in axial direction and including a stationary pointer fixedly mounted in said housing member adjacent said tube. 

1. Apparatus for the automatic recording of hypostasis reactions on photosensitive paper comprising a housing member; a light source, a first diaphragm, a sedimentation tube, a second diaphragm and an elongated guide member adapted to receive a photosensitive paper arranged in one direction directly adjacent each other in said housing member; means mounting said elongated guide member at one end thereof for pivotal movement about pivot means parallel to said one direction; means for moving said guide member and a photosensitive paper thereon in a direction transverse to said one direction slowly from a starting position to an end position and from said end position rapidly back to said starting position, said moving means comprising cam means and follower means, one of said last-mentioned two means being fixedly mounted on one of said members, motor means connected to said cam means for moving the same relative to said follower means, and spring means for holding said cam means in engagement with said follower means; and switch means actuated by said moving means to switch said light source on and off at timed intervals during movement of said guide member from said starting to said end position.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam means has an axis of rotation and a peripheral cam surface engaged by said follower means, and wherein the radial distance of said cam surface from said axis of rotation increases gradually from a first point on said peripheral surface to a second point thereon and drops abruptly from said second point to said first point so that said guide member is moved gradually from said starting position to said end position and quickly from said end position back to said starting position.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cam means comprise a first cam cooperating with said follower means and a second cam cooperating with said switch means.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivot means is spaced from said follower means.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, and including a supply reel for an elongated strip of photosensitive paper turnable about an axis substantially normal to said one direction and being mounted adjacent said one end of said guide member for pivotal movement with the latter.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said sedimentation tube is mounted in said housing member displaceable in axial direction and including a stationary pointer fixedly mounted in said housing member adjacent said tube. 